Event Overview
As the closet and home organization market grows – so does the CLOSETS & HOME ORGANIZATION CONFERENCE & EXPO™.The second annual Closets Conference & Expo, scheduled for March 1-3, 2006, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, will feature more seminars – all presented by industry professionals – more exhibits and more networking opportunities than any event for the industry.This is a unique opportunity for closet, garage and organization professionals to hone their business skills and stay on top of leading-edge trends of this fast-evolving market.
Keynote Speakers
The Closets Conference program is anchored by several keynote presentations that will provide attendees with a broad view of the industry and emerging developments. These general sessions are in addition to 12 one-hour seminars, each of which will be repeated to allow registrants to attend the sessions of greatest interest to them. Keynote presenters include:
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Neil Balter founded California Closets at age 17 and helped it grow from his dad’s garage into the world’s largest custom closet company. After expanding the business to more than 100 franchises worldwide, Balter sold the company in 1990 to Williams-Sonoma Inc. A founding member of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization, Balter is a consultant with ClosetMaid and author of the book, The Closet Entrepreneur. His story has been chronicled by more than 1,000 newspapers, magazines, radio and TV shows including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, People and the “Oprah Winfrey Show.” Balter will present “The Closet: Then and Now,” at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 1. |
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Mike Carson founded Closet Works of Elmhurst, IL, from his basement in 1987 and has grown his retail closet company into the largest in Chicagoland with annual sales of more than $10 million. In 2000, Carson founded the National Closet Group, which now features 55 independent closet manufacturers from across the country as members. In October 2005, Carson announced the creation of the Association of Closet and Storage Professionals, the first all-encompassing industry association. Carson is also author of the “In the Front Office,” column in CLOSETS magazine. Carson will present “Birth of the Association of Closet and Storage Professionals” at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, and “Looking into the Future” at 9:00 a.m. Friday, March 3. |
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Laurel Didier is Group Publisher of Vance Publishing Corp.’s Industrial Division, which includes CLOSETS, Wood & Wood Products and Custom Woodworking Business magazines. In addition to helping launch of CLOSETS, Didier has spearheaded groundbreaking research on the closet and home organization marketplace. Her latest project is the development of Distinctive Closets, a new consumer magazine scheduled to debut in June 2006. Didier will co-present “State of the Closets Industry” at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 1. |
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Helen Kuhl has been an editor with Vance Publishing Corp. of Lincolnshire, IL, since 1988 and is the founding Chief Editor of both Custom Woodworking Business and CLOSETS magazines. Kuhl is a member of the Architectural Woodwork Institute’s Development Council and the Education Committee of the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers. Kuhl will co-present “State of the Closets Industry” at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 1. |
Networking Opportunities
The Closets Conference program sets aside a generous amount of time for closet and organization professionals from around North America to network with one another and share experiences, ideas and challenges they face.
The opening day of the Closets Conference culminates with an Industry Networking Reception. Attendees can mingle with friends old and new while enjoying snacks and beverages. Thursday and Friday each start with a continental breakfast, another good chance to meet with other closet professionals, while gearing up for the day of education and exhibits ahead.
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